Leisure E03 fridge freezer: what it means & what to check

What E03 actually means

The control board has lost a sensible reading from a temperature sensor on the fridge side, so it can no longer measure that compartment properly.

The electronics check each temperature sensor and expect a reading within a set range. On E03 the fridge-side sensor is reading as either open circuit or short circuit, which usually means a broken wire, a damaged connection or a failed sensor rather than anything wrong with the cooling system. You will typically see E03 alternating with the set temperature on the freezer display, with the warning symbol lit. The board falls back to running the fan on a fixed timed pattern instead of reacting to actual temperatures, so the appliance keeps cooling — but not accurately, and defrost behaviour is affected too.

What E03 looks like on a Leisure fridge freezer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Leisure fridge freezer, E03 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not heating the water
Washing coming out cold
Cycle takes far longer than it should
Not cooling
Freezer not freezing
Ice building up at the back
Food going off in the fridge
Running constantly and never getting cold

Recognise any of those? That is this fault, and the rest of this page explains what causes it and what you can check yourself.

What usually causes it

Failed fridge compartment temperature sensor
Broken or chafed sensor wiring inside the cabinet
Corroded or loose sensor plug at the control board
Water ingress or ice damage around the sensor
Faulty control board misreading the sensor

What you can safely check yourself

Work through these in order. Anything beyond this — panels off, testing parts, anything to do with the wiring — is an engineer's job, and not one to attempt with the machine plugged in.

Turn the appliance off at the wall for a minute, then back on — the control runs its self-test at power-up and a one-off glitch will clear
Make sure the display really is showing E03 and not another sensor code (E0, E1, E2 and E8 all look similar and point to different sensors)
Check food and packaging are not jammed against the vents inside the fridge, and move anything that could have been pushed against the back wall

Which Leisure models show E03

E03 means the same thing on this model. If yours is not listed, the explanation above still applies — the code is set by the control board, not the model number.

7222548085

Common questions about Leisure E03

What does E03 mean on a Leisure fridge freezer?

The control board has lost a sensible reading from a temperature sensor on the fridge side, so it can no longer measure that compartment properly. The electronics check each temperature sensor and expect a reading within a set range. On E03 the fridge-side sensor is reading as either open circuit or short circuit, which usually means a broken wire, a damaged connection or a failed sensor rather than anything wrong with the cooling system. You will typically see E03 alternating with the set temperature on the freezer display, with the warning symbol lit. The board falls back to running the fan on a fixed timed pattern instead of reacting to actual temperatures, so the appliance keeps cooling — but not accurately, and defrost behaviour is affected too.

Can I fix Leisure E03 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the appliance off at the wall for a minute, then back on — the control runs its self-test at power-up and a one-off glitch will clear.
Make sure the display really is showing E03 and not another sensor code (E0, E1, E2 and E8 all look similar and point to different sensors).
Check food and packaging are not jammed against the vents inside the fridge, and move anything that could have been pushed against the back wall.

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried them.

How much does it cost to repair Leisure E03?

£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Tried the checks and it's still showing E03?

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried the checks above. Then it wants someone who can open it up.

What it costs, before you call: the price is the same whatever the fault turns out to be — £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Our own engineers, not a call centre. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire — most fridge freezer faults are seen same day or next day.

Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need

Outside our area? The explanation above still stands — take it to a local engineer and tell them the code. Knowing it saves them time and you money.

Other Leisure fridge freezer codes

All Leisure fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

Repairs we cover near you

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Leisure E03 error — fridge freezer